What Books About Catholicism Should I Read?

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You have some great recommendations here.

If you are looking for a subject to tackle early on after you get a bit of a foundation, I would suggest learning about the Eucharist.

The subject of the Eucharist opens all sorts of doors to learning. The Eucharist is at the heart of our religion.
 
There is also a compendium that goes along with the CCC. It is helpful.

However the CCC is extremely important. I think it was my second purchase.
 
So if I get an old version of the Catechism it will be the same? There’s one in my local bookstore’s inventory that was published in 2000.
 
The current CCC was actually first released in 1997. It’s commonly a “big green book”.

That’s the one.

Excuse me. 1994. There are about seven different copyright dates in here LOL.
 
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So I just cracked open my USCCA. Simplified was a bad choice of wording - not that it’s difficult. It’s easy to understand - it’s just written more like a textbook on the CCC. It’s divided up like the CCC, and then each chapter is like reading a textbook on the subject (I hope that makes sense). It gives a lot of background, explanation, and makes the CCC more “readable”.

This is Our Faith goes a bit further, and is even more readable and much less like a textbook. It’s thinner, so it may seem a bit more manageable. (I have seen this book in thrift stores, so I know it’s out there secondhand.)
 
I didn’t see anyone mention Catholicism by Bishop Robert Barron, I really enjoyed it, and was able to get it from the library. It’s also on Audible. He has a great you tube page as well.
 
“Surprised by the Truth” by Madrid is my favorite conversion story book.
 
I like Chesteron’s ‘Orthodoxy’ and ‘The Everlasting Man’. They are arguing for Christianity but do so by telling stories that, for me and many others, connect on a deeper level. I like straightforward apologetic books too, but for me reading Chesterton is more inspiring.
 
Ayden said:
I probably don’t have time to read Summa Theologica!
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If you are interested in learning what the Summa has to say, try A Tour of the Summa by Msgr. Glenn. The Kindle version costs $1.99 and it is a great summary of the entire Summa. Essentially the Tour is to the Summa as the Compendium of the Catechism is to the Catechism.
 
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Wilfrid Stinissen OCD, Scott Hahn, the early works of Thomas Merton a trappist monk, f Jacques Philippe
 
The Essential Catholic Survival Guide Paperback by Catholic Answers Staff
The Catechism of the Catholic Church
any of Peter Kreeft’s books
Any of Scott Hahn’s books

You might also like to listen to Fr. John Riccardo’s podcasts. He’s awesome!
 
“Catechism” simply means “teaching”. There have been Catechisms written for different times or locales (most famously, the Baltimore Catechism).

The official “big green book” is generically called “The Catechism”. It is a reference book, think of it as a sort of encyclopedia of Church teaching.

At the Vatican webisite you can find this one, along with “The Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church” (excellent Q and A format) and the “Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church” (very important and many Catholics do not even realize it exists!!)

The next official for those in the US is the US Catechism for Adults.

Between those 4, you can follow the footnotes to the bigger documents and to Scripture.

As I said above, you might check out a free trial of Formed.org They have audio books, video series, Kindle books and more all for around $10 per month.
 
Read books by Fr Mitch Pacwa, Fr Benedict Groeschel, Fr Wade Menezes and Fr Andrew Apostoli.
 
Ayden said:
looking for some books to read about Catholicism over the summer.
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Besides the excellent suggestions already offered, here’s 53 of the most informative minutes you’ll ever spend. This is episode 6 of a ten part series by Bishop Robert Barron. It’s called simply Catholicism. Good reading (and watching). 🙂

 
Anything by Scott Hahn, far and away one of the greatest Catholic authors of this generation. Dr. Hahn was a committed anti-Catholic Evangelical Protestant minister who’s intensive study of scripture led him right into the Catholic Church. He has a unique gift for making things understandable, and an incredible knowledge of scripture and knack for explaining it. Before reading his books, start with this audio presentation of his original conversion story:


Once you’ve listened to it I would start with his book that he and his wife Kimberly wrote together, Rome Sweet Home, which gives a brief overview of some of the issues that led to their conversions. Then read A Father Who Keeps His Promises, which takes you from Genesis through the Old Testament, into the New Testament and to the Catholic Church. That book gave me a great overview of the bible and how all the major themes are connected. Next read The Lamb’s Supper, a beautiful explanation of the Mass and its scriptural origins. Then if you would like a great book on the role of Mary in the Catholic Church, read his book Hail Holy Queen. For Scott, like many Protestant converts to Catholicism, Mary was a big hang up until his study of scripture showed him who Mary really is.

I cannot recommend his books enough to anyone investigating Catholicism. He has many other books as well, plus tons of videos of talks he’s given all over the country. His famous conversion story, books and talks started a wave of Protestant ministers giving up their jobs to come into the Church. Truly remarkable stories!
 
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Francis Pio, please change the word “we’re” in your questions to “were.”
 
Don’t worry, FrancisPio. We’re good. There was nothing wrong with the post apart from the one word needing to be corrected.
 
I see. In your post above, should there be a comma after the word “post”?
 
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